Engine Crack Prevention. And Keep or Sell Cost Analysis
12-11-2018
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Engine Crack Prevention. And Keep or Sell Cost Analysis
I’m looking for some opinions on the option to spend money on preventative maintenance to reduce the chance of an engine crack versus selling the car now and moving on before it’s too late.
2006 Ex Coupe Honda Civic. 103,000 miles.
Manual transmission.
Owned since 2010 with 38,000 miles
It is know that the R18 engines made between 2006 and 2009 have a defect which causes the engine to crack, leak coolant, and overheat. Based on carcomplaints.com, the engine cracks at an average mileage of 90,000 miles. My car is currently 12 years old and out of warranty. I’ve always used conventional oil from the cheap commercial shops such as Mr. Tire every 5,000 miles. And last changed all the other fluids at 65,000 miles. I typically shift at 3k rpm. Mostly city driving of 2 mile trips during the week and 20 mile trips on weekends for the last 7 years. Currently, it sees 15 mile highway trips twice a day.
Items to be replaced and changed this month:
1. Transmission fluid
2. Coolant fluid
3. Brake fluid
4. Oil upgrade from conventional to Mobil 1 or Amsoil Signature Synthetic
5. Replace PCV valve $134
6. Replace thermostat
7. Front struts also need replaced for $700
8. Replace the water pump
9. Replace engine air filter
Total cost for maintenance is roughly $2100.
Due to moderate cosmetic damage, trade in value is $2000.
Effective monthly costs to own since 2010:
If I sell the car now without doing the maintenance: $145.
If I do the maintenance and the engine cracks this coming summer: $183.
If I do the maintenance and the car last another 3 years: $138
Is it worth the cost to spend $2,100 to maintain a 12 year old vehicle which is prone to fail? Has anyone done these repairs and had their 8th Gen 2006-09 car last longer? What would you do?
First time posting.
Thank you.
2006 Ex Coupe Honda Civic. 103,000 miles.
Manual transmission.
Owned since 2010 with 38,000 miles
It is know that the R18 engines made between 2006 and 2009 have a defect which causes the engine to crack, leak coolant, and overheat. Based on carcomplaints.com, the engine cracks at an average mileage of 90,000 miles. My car is currently 12 years old and out of warranty. I’ve always used conventional oil from the cheap commercial shops such as Mr. Tire every 5,000 miles. And last changed all the other fluids at 65,000 miles. I typically shift at 3k rpm. Mostly city driving of 2 mile trips during the week and 20 mile trips on weekends for the last 7 years. Currently, it sees 15 mile highway trips twice a day.
Items to be replaced and changed this month:
1. Transmission fluid
2. Coolant fluid
3. Brake fluid
4. Oil upgrade from conventional to Mobil 1 or Amsoil Signature Synthetic
5. Replace PCV valve $134
6. Replace thermostat
7. Front struts also need replaced for $700
8. Replace the water pump
9. Replace engine air filter
Total cost for maintenance is roughly $2100.
Due to moderate cosmetic damage, trade in value is $2000.
Effective monthly costs to own since 2010:
If I sell the car now without doing the maintenance: $145.
If I do the maintenance and the engine cracks this coming summer: $183.
If I do the maintenance and the car last another 3 years: $138
Is it worth the cost to spend $2,100 to maintain a 12 year old vehicle which is prone to fail? Has anyone done these repairs and had their 8th Gen 2006-09 car last longer? What would you do?
First time posting.
Thank you.
12-11-2018
#2
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Engine Crack Prevention. And Keep or Sell Cost Analysis
Just because you have this info does not necessarily mean it will ever happen to your engine.
Actual failure rate is probably well below 5% IMO. (I don't have actual statistics, just my own experience)
Why? And why so much?
Why?
Are they really a problem?
WHY?
Which fluids?
Sure, but that could probably be less expensive. Pare the list to necessities, DIY the simple stuff and it gets a lot less expensive, since that seems to be your (primary?) concern.
You have the monthly money breakdown done like a CPA. I look at the monthly expenses on my own car and think.....right now maybe 30/mo for gas. LOL
And "prone" is not a good word.
People seem to gripe about these engines that MIGHT fail (and some do). The cost and amount of work is pretty similar to replacing a failed transmission....but replacing a failed transmission is somehow much easier to accept. WHy is that?
I see plenty of these cars with higher mileage on a regular basis. Some take good care of their cars, others are rolling dumpster fires. Some are only coming in for the (usually airbag) recalls and refuse to spend a thin dime in the dealership.
Actual failure rate is probably well below 5% IMO. (I don't have actual statistics, just my own experience)
5. Replace PCV valve $134
6. Replace thermostat
7. Front struts also need replaced for $700
8. Replace the water pump
And last changed all the other fluids at 65,000 miles
Is it worth the cost to spend $2,100 to maintain a 12 year old vehicle which is prone to fail?
You have the monthly money breakdown done like a CPA. I look at the monthly expenses on my own car and think.....right now maybe 30/mo for gas. LOL
And "prone" is not a good word.
People seem to gripe about these engines that MIGHT fail (and some do). The cost and amount of work is pretty similar to replacing a failed transmission....but replacing a failed transmission is somehow much easier to accept. WHy is that?
Has anyone done these repairs and had their 8th Gen 2006-09 car last longer? What would you do?
TODAY I finished about 1500 bucks worth of work to a very clean 07 Civic coupe with manual trans. Some repairs, some maintenance. It's got almost 300,000 miles on it, and still going strong. This customer doesn't ever blink at the cost of the work whenever he comes in, and seems to want to drop 1000 every time we see him. (He always starts out with a few items he wants done, but then he keeps adding more stuff he wants to check out or fix, and sometimes it's pretty minor nit-picky stuff that most people would sooner ignore) In fact, this time he also wanted an estimate for replacing the drivers seat foam and both covers too.
12-12-2018
#3
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This is my first car and everything I say is based on typical internet research. That being said, my idea is to replace anything that can contribute to the increased risk of a crack in the engine block. Such as key components in the cooling system and anything that can increase stress on the engine.
5. I read that the PCV valve should be replaced every 30k miles. Though, I still have the original. If it fails in the closed position, pressure and stress in the engine can increase. Which can possibly increase the risk of an engine crack. I can get the OEM valve for $34. I figured $100 for labor, but it looks like a simple change I can do myself.
6. If the thermostat fails to open, the engine will overheat and possibly crack. 100k miles seems like a good time to replace it before it fails. I think the thermostat opens at 170 degrees F. Would it help cool the engine if I buy an aftermarket thermostat that opens at 150 or 160 deg F? Or stick with the OEM thermostat?
7. The front struts are making noise. Three months ago, a shop said one of them has a bad mount. So, I might as well replace the whole front assemblies for the price of labor. Two front OEM shock/strut assemblies with new nuts/bolts are $557 from a wholesale website. And $150 labor. Last time I tried to replace something under the car, I broke a bolt and had to pay someone to burn it off. $150 is a deal. Research tells me that bad struts increase stopping distance, negatively affect steering, and cause uneven tire wear. So I think they need to be replaced. And my tires are probably good for another 20k miles.
8. If the water pump fails, the engine will overheat and possibly crack. It is recommended to replace the water pump at 100k miles. I'm not going to check the pump everyday for leaks. So it could creep up on me one day and overheat the engine.
The "other" fluids that were changed around 65k miles include coolant, transmission, and brake. Some shop had me replace the power steering fluid around 50k miles. Though, years later, a dealership told me it never needs changed. Moving to synthetic motor oil, research tells me that Amsoil Signature Series Synthetic is the best of the best. Though I'm told that it is overkill for my tiny civic engine and that Mobil 1 synthetic is cheaper and will be just fine. Thoughts?
I like the CPA comment haha. Being meticulous, frugal, and mostly careful with my money and expenses has allowed me to live debt free starting in my mid 20s. My goal is to never need a car loan again. I could probably get $3,500 for the civic through a private sale today, but I need another 2 years and 20k miles on my current civic before I can buy a $12k used car.
5. I read that the PCV valve should be replaced every 30k miles. Though, I still have the original. If it fails in the closed position, pressure and stress in the engine can increase. Which can possibly increase the risk of an engine crack. I can get the OEM valve for $34. I figured $100 for labor, but it looks like a simple change I can do myself.
6. If the thermostat fails to open, the engine will overheat and possibly crack. 100k miles seems like a good time to replace it before it fails. I think the thermostat opens at 170 degrees F. Would it help cool the engine if I buy an aftermarket thermostat that opens at 150 or 160 deg F? Or stick with the OEM thermostat?
7. The front struts are making noise. Three months ago, a shop said one of them has a bad mount. So, I might as well replace the whole front assemblies for the price of labor. Two front OEM shock/strut assemblies with new nuts/bolts are $557 from a wholesale website. And $150 labor. Last time I tried to replace something under the car, I broke a bolt and had to pay someone to burn it off. $150 is a deal. Research tells me that bad struts increase stopping distance, negatively affect steering, and cause uneven tire wear. So I think they need to be replaced. And my tires are probably good for another 20k miles.
8. If the water pump fails, the engine will overheat and possibly crack. It is recommended to replace the water pump at 100k miles. I'm not going to check the pump everyday for leaks. So it could creep up on me one day and overheat the engine.
The "other" fluids that were changed around 65k miles include coolant, transmission, and brake. Some shop had me replace the power steering fluid around 50k miles. Though, years later, a dealership told me it never needs changed. Moving to synthetic motor oil, research tells me that Amsoil Signature Series Synthetic is the best of the best. Though I'm told that it is overkill for my tiny civic engine and that Mobil 1 synthetic is cheaper and will be just fine. Thoughts?
I like the CPA comment haha. Being meticulous, frugal, and mostly careful with my money and expenses has allowed me to live debt free starting in my mid 20s. My goal is to never need a car loan again. I could probably get $3,500 for the civic through a private sale today, but I need another 2 years and 20k miles on my current civic before I can buy a $12k used car.
12-12-2018
#4
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This is my first car and everything I say is based on typical internet research. My idea is to replace anything that can contribute to the increased risk of a crack in the engine block. Such as key components in the cooling system and anything that can increase pressure in the engine.
5. I read that the PCV valve should be replaced every 30k miles. Though, I still have the original. If it fails in the closed position, pressure and stress in the engine can increase. Which could increase the risk of an engine crack. I can get the OEM valve for $34. I figured $100 for labor, but it looks like a simple job I can do myself.
6. If the thermostat fails to open, the engine will overheat and possibly crack. 100k miles seems like a good time to replace it before it fails. I think the thermostat opens at 170 degrees F. Would it help cool the engine if I buy an aftermarket thermostat that opens at 150 or 160 deg F?
7. The front struts are making noise. Three months ago, a shop said one of them had a bad mount. So, I might as well replace the whole front assemblies for the price of labor. Two front OEM shock/strut assemblies with new nuts/bolts are $557 from a wholesale website. And $150 labor. Last time I tried to replace something under the car, I broke a bolt and had to pay someone to burn it off. $150 is a deal. Research tells me that bad struts increase stopping distance, negatively affect steering, and cause uneven tire wear. So I think they need to be replaced. Or would you say I can forgo the new quick struts and continue driving the car for the next 20k miles?
8. If the water pump fails, the engine will overheat and possibly crack. It is recommended to replace the water pump at 100k miles. I'm not going to check the pump everyday for leaks. So it could creep up on me one day and overheat the engine.
The "other" fluids that were changed around 65k miles include coolant, transmission, and brake. Some shop had me replace the power steering fluid around 50k miles. Though, years later, a dealership told me it never needs changed. Moving to synthetic motor oil, research tells me that Amsoil Signature Series Synthetic is the best of the best. Though I'm told that it is overkill for my tiny civic engine and that Mobil 1 synthetic is cheaper and will be just fine for my needs. Thoughts? Similar to how some people swear by 3,000 mile oil changes, maybe I should start changing the coolant in this particular car every 20,000 miles.
I like the CPA comment haha. Being meticulous, frugal, and mostly careful with my money, costs, and expenses has allowed me to live debt free. My goal is to never need a car loan again. I could probably get $3,500 for the civic through a private sale. Then buy an older corolla. But I would prefer to drive my current civic another 2 years and 20k miles so I can save for a $12k used car.
5. I read that the PCV valve should be replaced every 30k miles. Though, I still have the original. If it fails in the closed position, pressure and stress in the engine can increase. Which could increase the risk of an engine crack. I can get the OEM valve for $34. I figured $100 for labor, but it looks like a simple job I can do myself.
6. If the thermostat fails to open, the engine will overheat and possibly crack. 100k miles seems like a good time to replace it before it fails. I think the thermostat opens at 170 degrees F. Would it help cool the engine if I buy an aftermarket thermostat that opens at 150 or 160 deg F?
7. The front struts are making noise. Three months ago, a shop said one of them had a bad mount. So, I might as well replace the whole front assemblies for the price of labor. Two front OEM shock/strut assemblies with new nuts/bolts are $557 from a wholesale website. And $150 labor. Last time I tried to replace something under the car, I broke a bolt and had to pay someone to burn it off. $150 is a deal. Research tells me that bad struts increase stopping distance, negatively affect steering, and cause uneven tire wear. So I think they need to be replaced. Or would you say I can forgo the new quick struts and continue driving the car for the next 20k miles?
8. If the water pump fails, the engine will overheat and possibly crack. It is recommended to replace the water pump at 100k miles. I'm not going to check the pump everyday for leaks. So it could creep up on me one day and overheat the engine.
The "other" fluids that were changed around 65k miles include coolant, transmission, and brake. Some shop had me replace the power steering fluid around 50k miles. Though, years later, a dealership told me it never needs changed. Moving to synthetic motor oil, research tells me that Amsoil Signature Series Synthetic is the best of the best. Though I'm told that it is overkill for my tiny civic engine and that Mobil 1 synthetic is cheaper and will be just fine for my needs. Thoughts? Similar to how some people swear by 3,000 mile oil changes, maybe I should start changing the coolant in this particular car every 20,000 miles.
I like the CPA comment haha. Being meticulous, frugal, and mostly careful with my money, costs, and expenses has allowed me to live debt free. My goal is to never need a car loan again. I could probably get $3,500 for the civic through a private sale. Then buy an older corolla. But I would prefer to drive my current civic another 2 years and 20k miles so I can save for a $12k used car.
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